A total of 2,600 square feet will be added to the college’s previous exhibition space, which is getting a new front entrance, an elevator, and climate-control systems. The new space will also allow for site-specific works and large-scale installations. The MassArt Art Museum will also include a new outdoor space called the Arne and Milly Glimcher Plaza, as well as an education studio, a workshop, and curatorial offices.

Lisa Tung, who served as executive director of the Bakalar & Paine Galleries and will maintain her role at the MassArt Art Museum, said in a statement, “Our primary goal has always been to show what’s new and to make contemporary art accessible to everyone, and the MassArt Art Museum will make that truly possible. Our artists will also feel supported to realize their vision, and our students will be invited into the process to learn from the professional artists they aspire to be.”

David Nelson, president of MassArt, added, “The MassArt Art Museum offers us an opportunity to introduce contemporary art to some members of our community for the first time. In this space we will be able to inspire the next generation of MassArt students and art enthusiasts, and encourage longtime art lovers to consider new artistic perspectives and practices.”